The Iceman: The Rise and Fall of a Crime Lord

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It would be one of the most significant gangland murders in Scotland for years and signalled an audacious underworld putsch. Many of these fugitives will be trying to blend in to the large British communities who have made their homes in Spain, and if you are resident, you may know one of them from your town or village. Within 24 hours of getting out, he took delivery of a new king-size bed at his modest home in Burnside, near Glasgow. Another Glasgow underworld figure said: "After Stevenson did what he did, the whole perception of the McGoverns changed.

When he felt under pressure from police, he would head to a bolthole in Amsterdam and lie low for a while.Police were already certain that one side or the other would suffer a fatality. Stevenson was undoubtedly dangerous but most thought that the McGovern brothers would ultimately triumph - after all, Stevenson was just one man. They thought wrong. Tony McGovern, 35. The feared boss of the once-dominant McGovern crime clan was gunned down in 2000 after falling out with best pal and criminal ally Stevenson. The Iceman remains prime suspect for the clinical gangland hit. After Gallagher and McDowall were jailed, Stevenson suspected McDowall had been working with the authorities all along.

McDowall admits he may be never be safe from reprisals, adding: "I messed up. I'm paying the price and I will be doing so for the rest of my days. The NCA and Police Scotland will not rest until he is captured. Anyone who is helping him stay on the run will be targeted too.”He said: "I don't even blame Stevenson. I blame myself for being an idiot. Greed sometimes takes over from need. I had debts but who doesn't? The NCA’s regional head of investigation for Scotland, Gerry McLean, described Stevenson as “one of Scotland’s most wanted fugitives”. Entering the garden from the rear, he knew he had found a temporary haven but realised there would be no permanent safety until he had dealt with those who had tried to kill him - the McGoverns.

Now the NCA works closely with their counterparts in Spain and last year 25 wanted British fugitives were returned from Spain. Yet the large expat community in Spain, coupled with a sizeable UK criminal fraternity that has developed since the 1980s, means it is still the number one destination for those evading British law. Loyalties change over time and we urge anyone with information about these men to help us find them." Among the most wanted is Nana Oppong, 41 who is on the run from Essex Police for the drive-by murder of grandfather Robert Powell, 50, who was shot eight times with a 9mm pistol on 13 June 2020.

Monaghan, however, is reluctant to go into exact details about the night when he, Stevenson and a third man, who is now in prison, reputedly went for a drive in the country. When we approached Gallagher, he said: "What's my relationship with Jamie got to do with anything?" He then warned us to stay away before storming off. His bosses declined to comment.

He said: "Only four people knew about that run - him, me, Stevenson. and Gallagher. "My former friend is terrified of prison and I'm convinced it was him. I got the blame because I was the stranger in the camp and also a new face." Gallagher operated at the heart of Stevenson's mob and organised drugs and guns smuggling runs for Scotland's biggest crime gang.

'DANGEROUS INDIVIDUAL'

He felt bad about Tony and, after he died, he just said, 'If you walk in the jungle, you'd better be ready to bump into a tiger.'" IT'S called Tak Ma Doon Road but the only thing about to be taken down that night was Jamie Stevenson.